I made this cake on a whim, I do that now. I do not plan things days out if I don't have to. This cake was a whim. I set a couple coffee dates with new companies on a whim. We went to see a concert on a whim. I made this cake on a whim and then read a book for three hours on a whim.

I don't operate always on free will. Sometimes I think that I am dictated by the to-do lists that I keep, chicken-scratched and coffee-stained on a legal pad in my office. I write small reminders on it - take out the trash, do the dishes, mail your letters. And for larger things, I totally forget about--keep learning French, exercise more, remember to be grateful.

And with 3 extra hours of daylight, I baked a cake, let it cool, and iced it. I ate a slice, leaned over the sink as the crumbs fell, and stood watching the yard flood in the rain. It was not a perfect day, but it was a perfect moment all the same.

Chocolate Snack Cake

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup AP flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

4 TB unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup olive oil (or even tahini!)

1 cup half and half

1/3 cup boiling water or very hot coffee (I did coffee here)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F and grease a 10x7" brownie pan with butter and parchment (can also use an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan)

Bake for 50-55 minutes and allow to cool completely before icing (see below for directions)

Decorating Directions: I have too many eggs and too much confectioners' sugar, so I actually did a royal icing for this cake. It wasn't too sweet, as it played off the deep tones of the coffee and chocolate. My ratio for royal icing is 3 cups sugar for 2 egg whites, with just a *hint* of vanilla or even orange blossom water (any more and it will make the mixture runny). Just mix with a fork until thick ribbons fall off the tines and smooth out onto cake. This is topped with Supernatural Starfetti Sprinkles.